LULU WHO?

Dana L. Perri

Every bio you read starts off with where the person was born. I used to wonder why that made a difference. But it really does. It’s the little details that make up who a person is. Where they are born accounts for so much of who they will eventually be.

Dana nicknamed Lulu for her childlike adventure

So…I was born in Brooklyn, NY and despite moving out to Long Island when I was only nine, I still consider myself a city girl. Always have, always will. I truly believe that where you grew up in those first few years of life are forever ingrained in you. Imprinted like a label sewn on the back of your shirt. Wash in cold water…in Brooklyn, NY.

Brooklyn, NY — Home Sweet Home

Me! The early years. Pensive from the start.

So when we hightailed it out of the city to plant ourselves in the suburbs, my world turned upside down. My parents had always told me that I "walked to the beat of a different drummer." So it's no surprise that I felt like a fish out of water in our new home. Sure, we had more room and a yard with real grass, but I missed everything about my life in Brooklyn. The pavement, the alleyway and our stoop. Our Long Island home had 2 small steps which were definitely not made with stoop ball in mind. The ball would get caught under the step lip and never fly back up. No fun. Stoop ball and life as I knew it was over forever.

Walking to the beat of a different drummer.

Real grass!!!

The “Oh so missed” Brooklyn stoop.

I needed a replacement for my usual games. That was just about when I started to write. I suppose you could see that coming from a mile away, couldn’t you? I wrote about everything. But really what it was for me, and continues to be, is a good friend that I can count on. I’ve been writing in some form or another most of my life. It’s what I always come back to, a familiar place, just like Brooklyn was.

Fun on Brooklyn street

My usual games & start of my competitive spirit

At the time, I had been working in the field of television production for 20 years.20 years! I don’t feel old enough to be have been doing anything for 20 years, but it's true. TV production is a tough business and the stress can be incredibly intense. Just like with writing, it became my passion. Although, I would complain a lot about the long hours and low pay, there was something that I loved about it. I love being creative. I love making something from nothing. I love telling a story. And so I’m back to my roots. One idea following another creating a story where there was none.

On a production set - many long days

Life is big, bold and full

I have had some life changing moments occur in my life. These led me to certain realities: we can have more than one career in a lifetime; that our path is for us to choose and for us to travel; that we can be truly happy doing what we love; that we are all connected and that our individual happiness or unhappiness affects every other soul.

Steering off road, headed on a new adventure

With those mantras, I took hold of the steering wheel of my life and went off the paved road in search of a new adventure. I wanted to make my heart sing and leave all that stress and corporate quagmire behind. The fast paced hustle and bustle of the rat race didn’t seem so interesting anymore. I love the race (I’m very competitive) but not the rats so much, if you know what I mean. So together with my characters, Rana and Lulu, we set out on this journey. Hopping and flying our way through life in search of more peace, of making a Mindful Splash® in life by always taking a minute to “Think…then Jump™.”

Flying happily & peacefully

"I love being creative.I love making something from nothing.I love telling a story."